Video transitions and what was going on with them caught my attention recently when I was looking at Lightroom 4.1 Slideshow Module and its photo slideshow and found that adding its one and only choice of transition (Fade) to the photos in the slideshow resulted in a significant increase in the total duration of the slideshow. This had its implications when trying to cut music for a slideshow. Since I had not run into this in Premiere Elements, for starters I decided to do some video editor comparative studies to get a better idea of what Premiere Elements was doing that the other programs were not.
Comparative Overview
The assets for these tests included 147 jpg photos sized 3264 x 2448 pixels (4:3), each photo set for 5.00 second duration which should give us a "photos and no video transitions" time of 12.15 minutes (735 seconds). The transition duration in each program was set at 2.00 seconds. The slideshow duration results before and after application of video transitions to the photos in the slideshow fell into 3 camps:
- No Change in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 735
seconds
- Decrease in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 491.67
seconds
(b) iMovie, not tested, but from what read, Photos + Video Transitions (all except
Overlap Transition): decrease, so expected results would be
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 443
seconds.
- Increase in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 1034
seconds
(b) ProShow Producer 5.0.3256 Blank Show Mode (Cross Fade Blend Linear Transition)
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 1029
seconds
Note: This increase in slideshow duration with application of Video Transitions was also
seen in the case of ProShow Producer 5.0.3256 Wizard Mode/Theme, Picture Pages
where the Wizard created the slideshow product, varying both photo duration
(around 5 seconds) and transition type and duration (around 3 seconds) across the
slideshow. In that case,
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Transitions et al.: 1198.41
seconds.
(c) CyberLink Power Producer v5 (Fade Transition)
BEFORE, Photos: 735 seconds and AFTER, Photos + Video Transitions: 1026
seconds
For group 2 and 3 above, the set 5 second photo duration and 2.00 second transition duration never changed, while the slideshow duration decreased or increased by a factor of transition duration x number of photos involved in a transition. But this decrease or increase would plateau at a certain point unless the photo duration was increased for a fixed transition duration or the transition duration decreased for a fixed photo duration. Also, there was no difference in these slideshow duration results if the "clips" involved for the transition were photo-photo, photo-video, or video-video.
Suggested Explanation for Differences
Obviously these programs are not all handling transitions the same. How do they differ? Based on what I have read and until proven otherwise, here is my take on that question. The following is not written in stone nor does it represent any insider information.
Programs Characterized by Decreases in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
For this we will use the model of 2 photos each with 5 second duration...so side by side, no space between, the total length is 10 seconds. At that stage, you have the last frame of the first photo up against the first frame of the second photo. We want a more gradual transition. We want to apply a 2 second Cross Dissolve transition. Envision picking up the first photo and placing the last 2 seconds of it overlapping the first 2 seconds of the second photo. You now have a total length of 8 seconds instead of 10. The transition must have enough frames at the end of the first photo and the beginning of the second photo to make the transition, otherwise it will not work. We see this in the case of the tests with Windows Live Movie Maker 2011, wherein increasing the photo duration from 5 to 7 seconds, allows us to use a transition with the greater duration. (Interestingly, the program's default is photo duration 7.00 seconds and transition duration 1.50 seconds versus our 5 and 2.) In and Out points are more familiar to us in terms of video, but have been addressed to photos as well, using increased photo duration in preference as one means of obtaining extra frames for the process.
Programs Characterized by Increase in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
Let us use the same model as above, 2 photos each with 5 second duration..so side by side, no space between, the total length is 10 seconds. Remember the key to all this is that the transition has enough frames on the end of the first photo and the beginning of the second photo to make the transitions. In this case envision the last frame of the first photo being copied/repeated to add on 2 seconds there AND the first frame of the second photo being copied/repeated to add on 2 seconds there. Now envision picking up the first photo and placing the last 2 seconds (added frames) of it to overlap the first 2 seconds (added frames) at the beginning of the second photo. You now have a total length of 12 seconds instead of 10.
Premiere Elements Characterized by No Change in Slideshow Duration with Application of Video Transitions
Again using the model of 2 photos each with 5 second duration...so side by side, no space between, the total length is 10 seconds. Again, the focus point is that the transition has to have enough frames on the end of the first photo and the beginning of the second photo to make the transition without shortening the length as a result of overlapping. We are going to apply the Cross Dissolve transition with a 2 second duration. To make that transition, the program copies/repeats the last frame of the first photo for 1 second AND copies/repeats the first frame of the second photo for 1 second. Now envision overlaying the end 2 seconds of the first photo (now consisting of 1 second photo frames, 1 second of copied frames) with the beginning 2 seconds of the second photo (now consisting of 1 second photo frames, 1 second copied frames). You now have a total length of 10 seconds as for before the transition application.
Wrap Up Of Introduction
The theoretical and speculative aspects of video transition placement may be more than you might want to know about applying video transitions. If that is the case, please then take away from the above
Using Premiere Elements, the application of video transitions to side by side photos on a Timeline video track does not change the total duration of the photos involved unlike other programs that do.The blog post "PE: Video Transitions - Part 2 How They Work" answers some practical questions involving video transitions and Premiere Elements only, such as:
(a) What are clip handles all about? What are the In and Out points of a clip (video and still) and how are they set and how do they relate to "clip handles" and this transitions business? What are those tiny gray areas at the top right of left of one of my clips?
(b) Why won't the program allow me to align the transition the way I want it? It will not give me a Center at Cut, only Start at Cut or End at Cut?
(c) What transition editing opportunities do I have and what valuable information can I get from the transition editing area, especially the Show Timeline view there?
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* Testing was done using Premiere Elements 10 Window 7 64 bit, NTSC DV Standard project. Principles are applicable to other versions of Premiere Element.
